It has been the practice for decades that Matric final exam results are published in newspapers. This allows Matric learners to see whether they have passed or not without having to go to their school to get their results.
Full details of marks for each subject have always required a visit to school, but at least learners knew straight away whether they have passed - and whether they can go on to further study at university or college.
The problem was first identified a few years ago that if a learner's name was not in the list, it was exposing them to anyone who read the newspaper that they had failed the exams.
In response to this concern the results in newspapers were changed so that only the 'exam number' for each learner was published - not their real name
However South Africa now has an Information Regulator who supervises the handling of personal information by companies and government. The Regulator announced last week that the publication of results was not legal as the Matric learners had not given their permission in advance. They issued a Notice highlighting what they call non-compliance with the Personal Protection of Information Act.
The Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube says that her department will carry on as normal this year and Matric results will be published in the newspaper as they do not show names, only exam numbers.
"The unique exam number is not information that any other member of the public would know, besides the candidate. So we do believe that it is a benefit to have these Matric results published in newspapers" said the Minister. .
The Minister says that her Department will take this action unless they are instructed by a court order that they should stop.
Approximately 700,000 candidates are expected to write the National Senior Certificate (NSC) Matric final exams in South Africa in 2024. This includes full-time and part-time students registered with the Department of Basic Education (DBE) and those writing through the Independent Examinations Board (IEB).
The Minister also announced 2 days ago that the results will be made available a few days earlier than planned. The national and provincial pass rates will be announced by the Minister on the evening of Monday the 13th January 2025. Individual learners' results will be available the next morning from their schools.
Important Links For Matric Results
- How To Check For Matric Results Online
- NSC School Performance Report For 2024 Shows Matric Results Per School
- Where Can I Get My Matric Results
- Can I Get Matric Results Online?
- Important Dates Before Matric Results Are Released
- What Date Will The Matric Results Be Released?
- Here's When Education Minister Will Announce The Matric Results For 2024
- Here's When And Where To Collect Your Matric Results For The 2024 Matric Exams
- School Performance Report Shows Results For All SA Schools
- How To Check Your IEB Matric Results
- Guide To Check Your Matric Results With ID Number
- Will Matric Results Be In The Newspaper
- How To Check Your IEB Matric Results
- IEB Confirms 2024 Matric Results Release Date
